Illinois school district bans GLSEN material over children’s diversity book

ERIE, Ill. — An Illinois school district has banned all student materials provided or endorsed by GLSEN, the Gay Lesbian and Straight Education Network, including learning materials and various programs aimed at preventing bullying.

The ban comes after parents complained that one of the books used to teach school children tolerance and diversity — Todd Parr’s “The Family Book” — mentioned that “some families have two moms or two dads.”

The parents argued that “those are issues that shouldn’t be taught at the elementary school level.”

But now, more than a hundred Erie residents have signed a petition outraged over the recent ban at the elementary level, reported WHBF-TV.

Erie Community School District Superintendent Bradley Cox said that the curriculum will not be changed, only the materials used to teach the students will be different, and that under no circumstances will topics involving “alternative lifestyles” be discussed at the elementary level.

“I think its probably a bit of a misrepresentation to say that its just a few parents who have a concern when in fact at the end of the day it was a school board representing that views, values and philosophies of a community that really made the decision… I think our community has very clearly said if those topics come up with 6 year old or 7 year olds that they would rather have those topics discussed at home,” said Cox.